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Belhaven Black Scottish Stout

Belhaven Brewery
Scotland·Stout·Rank 6 of 42 · The Best British Stouts
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Belhaven Black is a Scottish stout that tastes like its name — pitch-dark, creamy, built on nitrogen for a velvety pour. Coffee and dark chocolate move through easily; the finish is dry and warming without alcohol heat, even at 4.2%. This is a sessionable stout for contemplation, not just muscle.

ABV
4.2%
Bitterness
Noticeably bitter
Roasted bitterness
SRM
dark45
PaceA Few
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
roastedchocolatecoffee
roasted
chocolate
coffee
toasty
clean
malty
Aroma
The nose presents prominent roasted malt and dark coffee character with subtle dark chocolate undertones.
also:dark fruit
not found:hoppy,caramel,fruity,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Belhaven Black Scottish Stout

◎ Appearance

Pours a deep black color with excellent opacity and minimal light transmission. A thick, creamy tan head forms and persists beautifully, testament to the nitrogenation which creates fine, cascading bubbles. The head retention is impressive and the overall presentation is visually striking.

deep blackcreamy tan headopaqueexcellent head retention

◌ Aroma

The nose presents prominent roasted malt and dark coffee character with subtle dark chocolate undertones. There's a pleasant grain-forward quality that avoids harshness, complemented by minimal hop presence typical of the style. The overall aromatic profile is inviting and well-balanced without excessive bitterness in the bouquet.

roasted maltdark coffeedark chocolategrain-forward

◐ Taste

Entry delivers smooth, creamy coffee and chocolate notes with a full-bodied mouthfeel enhanced by nitrogen bubbles. The mid-palate showcases balanced roasted character with moderate bitterness (30 IBU) that complements rather than dominates. Clean, dry finish with lingering roasted grain notes and a pleasant lack of astringency despite the dark roast profile.

smooth coffeedark chocolatecreamy mouthfeelbalanced bitter

◑ Finish

Clean and dry with impressive clarity, leaving behind subtle coffee and grain notes without lingering harshness. The moderate alcohol (4.2% ABV) contributes to excellent drinkability and a crisp conclusion.

clean finishdrycrisp
82
hopIQ score
Aroma
80
Taste
84
Appearance
85
Finish
81
Serve at 10–14°C

Slightly warmer than you might expect. 10–13°C lets the roasted malt, chocolate and coffee notes open up fully.

Pint glass

The classic — versatile, comfortable to hold and keeps the beer cool. No frills, no distractions: just the beer.

Can be cellared 2–5 years. Develops dark fruit, leather and port-like complexity with age.

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Food Pairing

What to eat with Belhaven Black Scottish Stout

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About Stout

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Stout?

Stouts are dark ales with roasted barley character, 4–8% ABV and IBU 25–45. Expect coffee, dark chocolate and toast flavors with a creamy body and dry finish.

Finding a similar Stout

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same roasted, smooth, dry character as Belhaven Black Scottish Stout will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Other Stouts in hopIQ

FEATURED IN

#6 of 50The Best British Stouts→
Compare with another beer →Explore all Stout beers in hopIQ →New to Stout? Read our guide →Browse Scotland beers →